The top 10 summer sports movies of all time

SUMMER SPORTS MOVIES: JERRY GREENE

May 22, 2008|By Jerry Greene, Sentinel Columnist

Ah, summer, a time of action and adventure! But one way to celebrate summer is park ourselves in a dark, air-conditioned theater with outrageously priced popcorn while someone else does adventurous things on the screen.

Or perhaps thanks to Netflix, Blockbuster or the like, you want to view your summer movies at home. And because this is a sports section, perhaps you'd like to create your own film festival of The Top 10 Summer Sports Flicks of All Time. I'm here to help.

By arbitrary decision (mine), football, basketball, boxing and anything on ice are out. What's left, baseball and golf? No. Diversity is a must, so we've also got a cycling flick, a surfing flick, a karate flick, a cheerleading flick and, uh, a gladiatorial flick. Baseball gives us the No. 1 flick. It's hard to argue with Bull Durham.

You may expect to see some summer sports films not on this list. Grossly overrated, sentimental flicks that might include dead guys playing baseball in corn fields or nonsense such as that. Fear not, they will be mentioned Friday when we present The 10 Worst Summer Sports Flicks of All Time.

10. League Of Their Own ('92)

This movie grows on you as long as you can get by whatever you think of Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell. Also, the flick gave us "There's no crying in baseball!"

9. Tin Cup (1996)

Kevin Costner hasn't been in a hundred sports movies. It just seems like it. But it's Rene Russo's presence that puts this on the list. And there's the water hazard scene.

8. Karate Kid (1984)

I love this tag line: "Only the 'Old One' could teach him the secrets of the masters." Pat Morita was nominated for a Supporting Actor Oscar and carries the film.

7. Bring It On (2000)

Another great tag line: "Backstabbing. Spotlight-grabbing. Secret-blabbing. A cheerleader's life is all that." Nice to see girls who believe "winning is the only thing."

6. Eight Men Out (1988)

Doesn't have a "summer feel" but I couldn't omit my favorite serious baseball flick. The story of the Black Sox scandal is one of the great tales in American sports history.

5. Gladiator (2000)

There's no bigger summer funfest than gladiators and tigers. Name another cinema "quarterback" who did a better job leading a team than Russell Crowe as Maximus.

4. Endless Summer (1966)

How can we leave out a surfing flick called Endless Summer? It remains cool today. It's about the search for the perfect wave. If you don't surf, see what you've missed.

3. Breaking Away (1979)

The best summer sports movie about a "minor" sport -- cycling. Lost best movie Oscar to, barf, Kramer vs. Kramer. I love this one even though I've forgotten how to ride a bike.

2. Caddyshack (1980)

Rodney Dangerfield and Bill Murray were at their best with Chevy Chase and Ted Knight close behind. Classic Rodney: "Hey baby, you must've been something before electricity."

1. Bull Durham (1988)

Costner should have retired after this one, also starring Susan Sarandon. The dialogue was terrific. If you can top Costner's "I believe" speech, go for it. Don't try. You can't.